Amish and Plain people number about 25,000 in Lancaster County.Health care providers are hoping many of them will get the COVID-19 vaccine, but it could be a challenge.”We found that, in general, the Plain communities are a little bit more hesitant to think about prevention from that standpoint and also, in general, less likely to get any type of vaccine,” said Alice Yoder, executive director of community health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.LG Health is holding vaccination clinics at the Robert Fulton Fire Company in Peach Bottom and at a site in Paradise – areas with large Amish populations.That wasn’t lost on Jane Keys, who got her shot at the fire company.”I thought that was maybe why they were putting it out in the outskirts. There’s a lot of Amish around here,” she said.Jason Hash also got his shot and hopes his Amish neighbors do the same.”Hopefully they’ll come. I don’t have any idea if they will or not, but hopefully,” he said.Health providers have also placed ads in the “Busy Beaver,” a publication that caters to the Amish and Plain communities.The ad answers some common questions about the vaccine with the goal to provide fact-based information.Providers don’t keep track of anyone’s religious affiliation, but Yoder said when Amish and other Plain people want the vaccine, there will be a seat for them.
Amish and Plain people number about 25,000 in Lancaster County.
Health care providers are hoping many of them will get the COVID-19 vaccine, but it could be a challenge.
“We found that, in general, the Plain communities are a little bit more hesitant to think about prevention from that standpoint and also, in general, less likely to get any type of vaccine,” said Alice Yoder, executive director of community health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.
LG Health is holding vaccination clinics at the Robert Fulton Fire Company in Peach Bottom and at a site in Paradise – areas with large Amish populations.
That wasn’t lost on Jane Keys, who got her shot at the fire company.
“I thought that was maybe why they were putting it out in the outskirts. There’s a lot of Amish around here,” she said.
Jason Hash also got his shot and hopes his Amish neighbors do the same.
“Hopefully they’ll come. I don’t have any idea if they will or not, but hopefully,” he said.
Health providers have also placed ads in the “Busy Beaver,” a publication that caters to the Amish and Plain communities.
The ad answers some common questions about the vaccine with the goal to provide fact-based information.
Providers don’t keep track of anyone’s religious affiliation, but Yoder said when Amish and other Plain people want the vaccine, there will be a seat for them.